Wildfire

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick sends readers straight into the nightmare of a raging wildfire as 12-year-old Sam is trapped by explosive flames and deadly smoke that threaten to take his life. Can he survive?

Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to get his phone. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his bus, and there's only one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die.Lungs burning, Sam's only goal is to keep moving. Drought has made the forest a tinderbox, and Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also lost. Their unlikely friendship grows as they join forces to find civilization.The pace never slows, and eventually flames surround Sam and Delphy on all sides. A powerful bond is forged that can only grow out of true hardship -- as two true friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever.At the end of the novel, information about wildfires and useful safety tips add to the reader's understanding of one of the US's most dangerous natural disasters.

Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Blue Sky Press (AZ)
Published: 09/03/2019
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9781338266900
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.5
Point Value: 5
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 503658 / Wildfire


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 07/01/2019
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2019 pg. 132
Publishers Weekly 07/22/2019
Horn Book Magazine 09/01/2019 pg. 97
School Library Journal 10/07/2019 pg. 1
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2019 - Superior,Well Above Average

About the Author
Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick has written more than a dozen novels for young readers. In 1993, he published his first children's book, Freak the Mighty, which became an instant classic, and was made into a feature film. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg was a 2010 Newbery Honor Book. Philbrick's other acclaimed novels include Max the Mighty, The Young Man and the Sea, The Last Book in the Universe, Zane and the Hurricane, and Wildfire. Philbrick divides his time between Maine and the Florida Keys. You can learn more about him on his website: rodmanphilbrick.com.